Deception
by ladierock
Summary: All Human. Rose lives with her brother Andre and her sister Jill and is protected by Dimitri after the murder of their parents. Just when life is starting to calm down everything spirals out of control and nothing is what it seems. Read and Review please.
1. Never Again

Rose rolled over and rested against Dimitri's bare chest. She wrapped her arm tight around his waist wishing more than ever this moment would last forever.

"This can't happen again," he said, his lips brushing her hair. She could feel the vibrations of his voice as he spoke. She ignored his words and snuggled closer into him.

"Rose, I know you're awake." He tried to sit up in the bed but Rose's hold was stronger than he anticipated. "Rose, this can't happen again," he repeated.

She only sighed, smiling to herself.

"Rose, I don't…want this happen again."

At this she sat up and met his big brown gaze, those eyes that had warmed her all over when she'd first met him.

"You seemed to want it last night," she said smugly. She leaned up and went for a kiss but Dimitri managed to pull himself from her grasp and sat up in the bed.

"I mean it. This shouldn't have happened," he told her. He ran a hand through his hair and over his face.

This was starting to annoy her. He said this every time they were even in the same room together. It was always the first and last sentence in any conversation they had.

She sat up tugging the sheet around her tightly.

"You came to my room last night," she pointed out.

Dimitri stood and grabbed for his clothes sprawled across the large room.

"To check on you. I'm supposed to keep watch over you. That's what your brother hired me for as a bodyguard," he said more to himself, to convince himself, than to her.

"And you sure are an expert because you did your job well and thoroughly," she giggled.

He only stared down at her from amazing height his expression completely serious. It was almost always this serious. She tied the sheet around her and reached for him as he was tugging on his dark jeans. He was quick, though, and held both of her wrists with one hand.

"Last night was a mistake and I shouldn't have put your life at risk." He sighed and released he wrist.

She stood in front of him hoping he'd take back those five horrible words that were playing on loop inside her head. Any amusement she had before was completely gone. Rose didn't expect it to be like this.

She liked Dimitri the second her brother Andre had introduced him three months ago. Dimitri was hired to protect Rose at all cost after their parents had been murdered in an attempted robbery gone terribly wrong and Andre's role of overprotective brother kicked into overdrive. It was just Andre, Rose and their little sister Jill now. Jill had her own bodyguard, Elena, and Andre felt he'd be fully capable of defending himself if anything were to happen.

Rose had thought it was funny at first; a bodyguard being hired because suddenly the world seemed so dangerous after her parents had been killed. She even laughed at her brother's new role as head of the family and the family club owning business and threatened to make her make her new bodyguard's life a living hell. She had said she wouldn't stop partying and binge drinking with her friends on a daily basis or ditching school until she met Dimitri with his mesmerizing eyes, long hair, and that slight accent that wrapped warmly around her whenever it passed between those beautiful lips.

And then he shook her hand and greeted her and it was all over for her.

She promised then that she'd change her ways as long as Dimitri was guarding her body in as many ways as possible.

Dimitri must've grown to feel the same attraction toward her because then it became routine for him to remind her that he was too old for her and he was hired to protect her not to "become intimate". He was all too much for Rose though and she couldn't resist trying to seduce him, to very slightly change his calm and collect demeanor.

Evidently it worked because last night he gave in and here they were.

"Why did you sleep with me then?"

I ran a hand over his tired eyes again and pulled his hair back before tugging his shirt over his head.

"I honestly don't know," he answered sitting on the edge of her bed to pull his shoes on.

That hurt. Rose felt like she'd been slapped in the face, kicked in the stomach and a bucket of ice water had been splashed in her face for good measure. Her heart gave a little tug and she cleared her throat before speaking again.

"Okay, it didn't happen."

She walked over to her closet and pulled out a set of clothes. She watched, as Dimitri seemed to be fighting silent inner demons and sat leaning on the back of his hands staring off.

"I have to resign."

"No you don't-"

"Rose, anyone could've come in here last night while we were…no I have to resign. I know a few other guards that'll be up for the job and need the pay."

Rose felt frantic. She didn't want to lose Dimitri. She liked having him around to tease him and he _did _make her feel safe something she'd never admit to Andre. She didn't want to live the rest of her life with an 'I told you so'.

She knelt beside him and almost rested her hand on his leg but thought better of it. He'd only pull away.

"You don't have to leave. I-I won't tell anyone and it won't happen again," she said whispering the last part.

"You should. I took advantage of you last night."

"I consented, Dimitri-"

"It doesn't matter. Last night was weird. I just felt… _off. _There're no excuses. I know better than to-"

He cut himself off and stood.

"I need this job for the money so I'll stay but if you decided to tell I won't stop you," he said before leaving the room.

She stood and headed for the shower shivering.

When he left Rose felt like he'd take all of the warmth with him.


	2. Still Having Fun

Rose showered and pulled on the few pieces of cloth that were supposed to resemble clothes. She brushed her hair into a low ponytail and, when satisfied, headed down stairs.

"You're up unusually early," Andre greeted without looking up from his blackberry. Rose ignored him as she always did but this morning was different.

Her happy high from this morning was completely gone and Rose felt more sobered up than she had in months.

Andre glanced at her and then did a double take.

"Are you wearing that to school?"

Rose looked down at the skirt, crop top and flip-flops she had on and just nodded.

"You go to a private school. I think they expect uniform."

"You went to the same school. How often did you stick to the dress code?"

Andre looked a bit sheepish before answering. "It's a little bit different when you're dressed like…that."

"Why?"

"Because when I broke the school code, I know the guys weren't going to try and take advantage of me because of my outfit."

"Like you could pull off an outfit like this," she muttered. "And besides when you went to St. Vladimir's I knew a few guys that would've love to-"

"Rose," Andre warned.

She paused before speaking again. "Guy try to take advantage of me no matter what I'm wearing," she told him with a coy smile on her face. She couldn't help it. She liked to irritate Andre and it improved her mood a little.

"Is this about making some teenage girl statement I don't understand?"

"The only statement I'm trying to make that you should understand right now is 'Shut Up'."

Leaving Andre to shake his head disappointedly at her she popped a few waffles into the toaster and poured two glasses of orange juice.

As if on cue Jill came gingerly down the stairs and climbed up onto the barstool.

"Morning Jellybean," Andre greeted still without looking up from his phone.

She reached for the orange juice Rose had poured for her and said nothing.

Jill rarely spoke. She was in the house when their parents had been killed and she didn't say a word about it. Whenever she did choose to speak it was only to Rose. Rose guessed that it was because they were the only girls left in the house now.

"The female hormones in this house are becoming too much and it's getting a little tense in here," Andre said glancing at both of his sisters.

When neither said anything he sighed, straightening the collar of his silk shirt.

"Why is everyone so grumpy?"

If Rose had been a little happier she would've laughed. Jill was always like this and it wasn't like her and Andre were the closest siblings in the world.

"We are in need of a nice amount of male testosterone. Where's Dimitri? He's always up at the crack of dawn for whatever reason."

Rose shrugged sliding Jill's plate of waffles across to her.

"Probably patrolling," Andre answered himself. "I thought I saw someone trying to break in last night."

Rose lifted her head.  
"Is that why he came to check on me?"

"Yup. One can never be too safe. I knew I made the right decision by hiring him and Elena. They're thorough."

_Oh if only you know, brother, _Rose thought to herself.

Rose waited while Jill finished her breakfast to take her school.

She watched little Jill nibble on her waffles with fascination. In moments like this where Rose was tuning out whatever Andre was saying, especially now since it involved Dimitri, Rose felt like she could watch her little sister for hours doing absolutely nothing.

The backdoor to the kitchen opened and a tall silhouette stood in the door.

"We were just talking about you," Andre greeted.

Dimitri, in a different change of clothes and his hair still wet, closed the door behind him. He walked to the stool beside Jill and coked a brow, something Rose had admired before.

"Really?"

Rose thought she could feel Dimitri's heavy gaze hoping to meet her own but her eyes were focused on Jill.

"Just the usual appreciation crap and all that," Andre explained. "You're up a little late. Were you patrolling?"

"Actually I felt a little sick but after my shower I feel fine. I patrolled the perimeter and everything is as it should be," he explained.

"By yourself? Where's Elena?"

"I don't know. She wasn't in her room when I left."

The two guards stayed in the backhouse through the trees and behind the swimming pool on the property.

"Jellybean have you seen her?"

Jill shook her head without looking up from her plate.

Andre sighed frustrated that Jill wouldn't speak.

"Maybe she just needed some time off. I wish would check in first though. A bit unprofessional," he muttered. "Wish she'd be more like you Dimitri. You do your job well."

Rose suppressed a laugh.

"Um…thank you. Ladies, I think it's time for school," Dimitri said standing.

Rose helped Jill hop off of her stool and led the way outside to where the car was parked.

"Oh wait, Rose," Andre stopped her. "I need you to pick up something from Christian's place and drop it off at the club. Think you can handle that without getting mauled?"

"Whatever," she muttered.

She hated when Andre asked her to do errands for him. Her dad used to do that and it reminded her too much of him. She especially hated going to the club where her father had spent a lot of his time.

"You sure you don't want to give the outfit a second once over?" he added flipping through his phone.

"You're my brother not my father," she told him leaving the house.

Her brother wore almost as good of a calm façade as Dimitri did sometime but she knew her words hurt. It was the truth though. She regret them later, she just knew it. She was already starting to feel bad.

She felt herself shudder as she open the door to the car and helped Jill into her child's seat.

"Are you alright?" Dimitri asked once Rose settled in the passenger seat.

"Fine."

She had wanted Dimitri around but it didn't mean she wasn't mad at him for hurting her so badly this morning.

They arrived at St. Vladimir's a few minutes before the warning bell. Dimitri got out of the car and came around to open the two Mazur sisters' doors.

Rose unbuckled Jill and grabbed her bag from Dimitri without even glancing at him.

They walked in silence toward the buildings, Dimitri silently behind them and Rose and Jill hand in hand.

"Today's your alphabet play," Rose acknowledged.

She had remembered but she was certain Andre didn't.

Jill nodded tugging on Rose's arm so that she'd lean down. They were in front of the elementary school building now. Rose crouched, carefully and met her little sister's big gaze. She tucked a few strands of thick hair, so much like her own behind her ears.

"What's wrong Jellybean? Are you worried no one will be there for your play?"

Jill nodded.

"Can't I go with you?"

"To my classes? I think you're still a bit small for that. I'll be here though, right after school and then we'll go see Andre and I'll make him take us out for unhealthy McDonald's and ice cream. How does that sound?"

Jill nodded with a barely there smile.

"Okay. I'll check on you at lunch okay?"

Instead of nodding she hugged her older sister tightly. Rose almost felt smothered but the little girls hair but if she could she wouldn't have let go for anything in the world. She wished she could hold on to the one person that seemed to really want her, forever.

She opened her eyes and met Dimitri who stood a few away looking on. She thought she could spot an ounce of admiration and something else in his but figure she'd imagined it and looked away.

There were a few whistles and catcalls that broke up the hug. Rose looked behind her to see the class clowns hooting and whistling probably at her outfit.

She rolled her eyes and reluctant let her sister go.

"I'll see you later Jellybean."

Jill only waved sadly and walked into the building.

Rose watched her for a few seconds to make sure she made it into her classroom.

"She'll be alright," Dimitri tried to reassure. He stood so close she could feel the warmth rolling off of him in waves. She spaced for a moment remember when all of that warmth held her so tightly last night…and shook herself back into reality.

She didn't say anything and only turned on her heel toward her own class.

"I'll check on her later."

This was something Rose had asked Dimitri to do since day one even with Elena around. It had become routine she didn't even have to ask anymore but she had a feeling he would've checked on her without Rose asking him too.

"Thanks," she muttered and walked across the lawn. She passed the hooting and whistling of a few of the wealthiest of the rich kids that went here hoping she'd go unnoticed but the tallest, blonde hair and blue eyed Jesse stopped her.

He gripped the upper half of her arm and forced her to a stop in front of him.

"Hey there my Rose with thorns. You're looking especially lovely today."

In anybody else's mouth it might have sounded a bit sincere but with Jesse it sounded creepy.

She looked at the hand he held her arm with and back up at him.

"Let go of me."

"You use to like it when I grabbed you."

"I'm not in the mood. I actually mind now," she said trying to tug herself away. "And so does he," she pointed out. Dimitri stood a few feet away glaring a Jesse. Rose had seen the look before, a warning glare that he gave anyone who even came near her and Jill.

Jesse swallowed and released his hold holding his hands up.

"No need for conflict. I thought you would like to come to a party I'm throwing in honor of it being another Friday."

Rose rolled her eyes and tried to walk away again.

"Come on Mazur. It'll be like old times. A few drinks, a couple of laughs and maybe a little of-" he had started caressing the exposed part of her back and her shoulder. She had dated Jesse a year ago and used to laugh when he did that but Rose realized it was a little creepy now that they weren't together anymore and after having Dimitri touching, anyone else doing it felt…off.

She slapped his hand away.

He only laughed and continued walking beside her.

"Alright. So none of that. No worries, there'll be others there to take my mind off of the pressure of being me."

"I don't think Mason and Ralph wanna touch you that way. I always thought you were friends."

He ignored her comment and went on. "Look are you coming or what? We need you there."

"Why?"

"Don't play dumb with me Rose. Whenever you come to a party so does the drugs."

Rose stopped then and faces him full on.

"What are you talking about?"

"You scoring the stuff from your brother's clubs. That's what Mia and her crew are saying."

"Then they're lying. My brother doesn't allow that."

Jesse held up his hands to silence her.

"Look I don't care about the idle gossip. I just wanna know where we can score some, a go to guy…or girl. Will your brother mind delivering the goods if you aren't there?"

Rose sighed exasperated. Her father had always made sure his clubs ran on the straight and narrow. He kept it clean and Andre had sworn to run things the same way.

"Look I don't know where you usually 'score some' but it's not from Andre."

"You keep telling your self that. Never mind I'll talk to someone else." He said sounding annoyed. If any one had the right to be annoyed it was Rose. He started backing away toward class. "You've changed Mazur. I guess when your parents died they took the fun with them."

That was it.

Rose knew Dimitri had guessed what she was going to do but it was too late and he was a few feet away too many. She rushed forward at Jesses, pulled back her arm and hit him square in the jaw.

He fell back onto the grass with a shriek that would make anyone who knew him ashamed to know him.

"Nope still having fun," she smiled stomping off.


	3. Wanting

Dimitri was quick.

Before she could make her way into the school building he gripped Rose's wrist tightly, yanking her between the building her classroom was in and the one next to it out of anyone's view.

"What part of laying low do you not understand? You cannot go around punching people, Rose," he chastised.

"You heard what he said about my parents, about Andre!"  
He ignored her words, flustered, releasing her wrist.

"It doesn't matter. You act like an adult and ignore him."

That hurt. She flinched and stepped back. Not taking in my sudden mood change he kept going.

"It would make it a lot easier for me to protect you if you stayed out of the spotlight for once, always making a scene."

Rose had enough.

With the way Dimitri pulled away from me this morning when she thought he had really wanted her, with everything Jesse said, Rose felt like she was going to explode.

She didn't care about any promises anymore to anyone.

"You know what, if you were really good at your job it wouldn't matter what I was doing," she muttered pushing past him.

She thought about running off, ditching school, going back to her old ways for just a day, and going to get a drink but then she remembered Jill.

She remembered she needed her, especially on one of these days since she couldn't count on anyone else to be there.

Rose headed into her class and went through the rest of the day in a sort of daze, trying to forget the crap Jesse was giving her, Dimitri's earlier words playing in her head. She couldn't shake the lonely feeling she had ever since Dimitri had pulled away from her. She thought she had finally worn him down.

She sat in her last class and glanced out of one of the classrooms windows in the back where it looked like Dimitri was pacing but he was actually patrolling as if a killer could come in at any moment.

Rose averted her gaze remembering the night before, the night she'd never forget; the night she'd always remember as the time she felt most wanted, especially since her parents died.

_It was actually one of those rare calm nights when the house was quiet. Andre was in her father's old office doing whatever boring business he usually did while running her father's old nightclubs, Rose had just read Jill a book and put her to sleep. _

_Rose laughed remembering how _Goodnight, Moon _put her to sleep too when her mother used to read it to her. _

_She curled up on the window seat and sighed inwardly. _

_She'd complained about her mom treating her like a baby and still reading her bed time stories but now, in such a quiet house, Rose wished more than anything that her mother was beside her, reading her those children's books she deemed stupid and brushing her hair back with her fingers as she lay her head on her lap. _

_Rose missed her mom most of all and almost started crying remembering hwo she'd given her parents such a hard time. _

"_I'm a teenager. It's what we do," she remembered herself saying to her parents a few nights before they were killed. _

_She cringed on the window seat embarrassed that she had acted like such a brat and wished more than anything she could forget the bad times and only remember the good memories. _

_She sat like that for a while and a tear escaped down her cheek, as there was a slight knock on the door. _

"_Come in," she said swiping away at the tear on her cheek. _

_The door barely opened and Dimitri stepped halfway through, running his eyes around the room once, something he always did, some bodyguard thing, Rose had guessed, and then he rested those big brown eyes on her. _

_He stepped all of the way in and walked toward Rose shutting the open window. _

"_You shouldn't keep these windows so wide open," he warned. _

_Rose sat up and forced herself to put on her best man-eating smile, feeling a little bit better now that Dimitri was here. _

"_If you stay here to protect me you wouldn't have to worry about me leaving the window open," she said leaning a little bit to look at Dimitri from behind. _

_He straightened up, finally closing the window, and shook his head disapprovingly. _

"_I just came to check on you before going to bed," he told her. _

"_So early, comrade. Why not stick around a while? Jill's asleep and Andre's down stairs so we can make all of the noise we want to," she said coyly. _

_Instead of giving her one of his "you're too young and I'm too old for you" lectures Dimitri sighed pressing a hand to his forehead. _

"_You alright, lover?" Rose asked worried. _

"_I've just…felt kind of weird since dinner," he admitted._

_Normally he kept anything he was feeling to himself. The fact that he was being so suddenly open now worried Rose but there was a thought in the back of her mind that told her to use this to her advantage. _

"_Yeah, Andre's cooking will do that to you."_

_He shook his head, his expression changing from annoyed at having a headache when he she be focused on guarding to concentration as if he was trying to remember something. _

"_I don't think it was the dinner or you, Jill, and Elena would be feelings the same way. You don't feel…off do you?" He asked raising a brow._

_Rose ignored the butterflies that flitted in her stomach when he did that and shook her head. "No, I feel great."_

"_I guess Andre would be feeling it too since he ate the same dinner."_

"_I wouldn't go by that," Rose disagreed. "My brother has an iron stomach. He's still holding liquor from the eighties in there."_

_Dimitri flicked his gaze down at her not really listening._

"_Hmmm…maybe it was the drink," he muttered to himself. _

"_You had one of Andre's after dinner cocktails?" She asked surprised._

"_To be polite. He…wanted to talk to about something," Dimitri said, his voice suddenly…saddened. It was the same tone of voice he used when he chastised Rose from flirting with him, a disapproving tone. He rubbed at his forehead again and the same thought popped into her mind that she could use this rare moment of weakness to her advantage._

_She pulled on his hand so that he'd sit beside her on the window seat. _

"_Sit down for a second, relax."_

_Any note of her previous happy flirtatious mood disappeared and was replaced by a smooth voice of seriousness and concern…and maybe a little bit of seductiveness, she had thought to herself._

_To her surprise Dimitri complied and sat beside her._

"_Maybe I can make it better," she said testing her words._

_She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and tugged at the rubber band holding his hair back, letting it loose and tucking a few strands behind his ear._

_She watched as his lips started to form one of his protest that they couldn't do something like this but they never came. _

_He stared into her eyes so deeply, in a way no one ever had before, like he could see straight through her. She was really concerned that he wasn't feeling so well but she let the sudden warmth that was running through her body push her worries aside for a moment._

_There wasn't much room on the seat in the first place so Rose didn't have to move too much to shift herself almost on top of him. She straddled him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and didn't let another moment pass without kissing him. _

_The moment their lips touched, she knew there was no going back, no Dimitri pulling away. There was only one way a kiss like this could go and Rose smiled to herself, loving every moment of it. _

_He was still a little hesitant at first but Rose wore him down until all of the walls that Dimitri put up to resist the advances of his charge and all of the walls Rose put up to simply protect herself from every feeling anything ever again completely crumbled with each passing moment. _

_He held her at her waist a distance away still a little hesitant. _

_Rose had a solution for that. _

_She brushed her parted lips against the warm skin of his neck, running soft kisses up and along his collarbone. _

_Unable to fight the temptation that was right on top of him, Dimitri lifted Rose and in one swift motion and laid her on the bed. Rose was surprised. She thought it'd take a little more effort on her part but he took full control, aggressively. _

_His skin felt hot to the touch. _

_He pressed his mouth to hers and Rose struggle for moment to get air before his lips were on hers again. _

_She felt completely…whole with Dimitri encircling her small body with his long tanned arms, his torso barely brushing against her own. Rose felt different. This wasn't like making out with the boys at school. This was entirely new and a little scary at first but before long Dimitri let up on the heavy kissing and moved his mouth to her shoulders and along her neck._

_He could sense she was a little put off by how quickly this was happening but they wanted this. Rose breathed, relaxing herself, and ran her hands in the tangles of Dimitri's hair. He put his hands on either side of her face so that he could stare into those eyes. _

_The brown in his eyes seemed to brighten a bit as if asking if she was all right and relaxed and if this was okay and Rose nodded. _

_He brushed her long strands of hair away so that her chest was bare. _

_All sadness Rose had felt before was completely gone and Rose felt better than she had in months._

_Rose tugged at his shirt, and he pulled at hers and before long they were one…_

The bell rang shaking Rose out of the memory.

She suddenly wished she was at home in her room like by simply being there she'd be able to relive the memories.

She stood grabbing her bags.

"So Mr. Safety is still following you around, huh?" her friend Mia asked. They waited for the crowed by the door to disperse before even trying to leave.

Rose thought she'd approach Mia about the rumors Jesse said she'd been spreading but after everything that happen all this morning she decided to put it off until later. Mia was always trash talking. It was how their weird friendship worked.

"Full time body guard," Rose reminded her.

"How's your quest to sleep with him going? Any success."

Normally Rose would've been quick to tell her close friend anything regarding her love life but last night seemed like such a tender private moment she wanted to keep it to herself for a while. Not to mention she didn't want to have to talk about the morning after that left her feeling depressed all over again.

"Not yet," she lied as they walked out of the classroom.

"Really? By now you usually have them wrapped around those manicured nails ready, waiting, and willing," Mia laughed.

"Well Dimitri isn't like the little boys I was with before. It's different now."

Mia gave a haughty laugh and flaunted her hair over her shoulder as Dimitri came to walk with Rose to the lower school to see Jill.

"Different man, it's still the same game. If you don't take advantage of all of that goodness, I will," she warned before walking, or actually sauntering away.

Rose shook her head.

Rose and Mia bonded over their love of playing mind guys with the guys that tripped over themselves to even talk to them but Rose had change. She realized everything was differently different now. She didn't want to play games and just have fun.

She wanted someone to hold her when she felt as lonely as she did now and upset.

She wanted Dimitri.


	4. Suspicious

"Why'd they make you the letter 'V'? Shouldn't you have been 'J'?"

"What's wrong with 'V'?" Jill asked walking back to the car.

Rose didn't think she'd taint her sister's mind by mentioning the one word she could associate with the letter 'V'.

"Nothing, Baby Girl. I think you make a damn good letter 'V'," Rose told Jill buckling her into the car. It was a little difficult working around the huge red 'V' costume she was wearing. She was literally the letter 'V'.

Jill pursed her lips together and mumbled a 'thank you'. Rose kissed her forehead and closed the door to climb into her own seat in the front.

"Was I really good?" Jill asked so quietly Rose had to lean between the two seats to hear her.

"_Damn_ good," Rose emphasized repeating her earlier comment. "Mom and Dad would be proud," she added gently turning to look out the window. From her peripheral she could see Dimitri glance at her surprised by her sudden serious tone.

Rose rarely if ever spoke about her parents or mentioned them. Little did he know she'd been thinking a lot about them lately.

"So where to?" He asks pulling his seatbelt.

"We have that errand to run for Andre so I guess Christians place."

Dimitri started to pull the car out of the parking spot before bringing the car to a sudden halt.

"Are we going to go through this every time you get in the car?" he asked without a hint of emotion in his voice.

"Yup," Rose said realizing what he was talking about and sipping from her water bottle.

"Buckle up Rose," he ordered.

She rolled her eyes but did so with a smile; amused she had gotten a rise out of him. Having Dimitri order her around brought a smile to Rose's face, even when she was feeling so moody. The seatbelt fastened and Dimitri pulled out.

"We didn't go through this this morning," he said curious.

"You put a damped on my mood this morning," she reminded him. "I should be experiencing that afterglow thing that none of the guys I've been with have been able to bring out in me."

"What's afterglow?" Jill asked from the back.

"Well, Jellybean, it's the kind of happy feeling a girl gets when a boy-"

"Rose," Dimitri warned.

She grinned. Satisfied she'd gotten another rise out of him.

"Nothing, Jellybean," Rose told her fighting a smile.

Dimitri focused on the road ignoring her. She reached to turn the knob on the radio when he gently but quickly pushed her hand aside to lower it more.

"What gives?"

"Are you going to tell Andre about what Jesse was saying?"

The question sounded so weird coming from Dimitri's mouth.

"Why would I? I know my brother. He doesn't deal."

Dimitri didn't say anything and reached to turn the radio up.

Rose wondered what that was about but laid back and just listened to the music. She wrote it off as a part of Dimitri's mysterious adult weirdness.

Christian opened the door after the hundredth knock once they'd arrived to his penthouse apartment. He was an old friend of Andre's that owned the hotel he was living in right now and sometimes helped in the club owning business.

He stood groggy and tired eyed in the doorway with red-rimmed eyes and his hair mussed in his boxers.

"Could you dress please there're children present." She and Dimitri pushed past him covering Jill's eyes.

Rose had envied his city life. The apartment was all black, blue, and gray with leather furniture that was more for appearance than comfort. There was a large big screen television in the living room and everything else was sharp edged and made of granite.

The place was nice…when it was cleaned up.

There were clothes, men and women's, strewn across the room, a bra on a lamp in the kitchenette, wine bottles and glasses and Rose thought she spotted a condom on the floor leading to the bathroom.

_Eww._

"It's always a pleasure," he mutters running a hand through his wild hair. "And why am I being graced by your lovely presences?"

Rose thought about settling herself and Jill on the leather couch but the thought of touching a pile of Speedos and underwear pushed that idea from her mind. Dimitri, as if reading her thoughts, lifted Jill, still in her 'V' costume, onto a clean part of the kitchen counter. Rose warmed when Dimitri treated Jill as if she were his own. She knew it was more out of consideration and actually caring about the small girl than because it wa shis job.

"Andre said to come and pick something up from you. Did you have a party or something or does it always look this way?" She asked questioning

"Usually looks this way." Christian sighs as if still recovering from whatever the previous night's events were. He pours himself something from a wine bottle and motions the bottle to Rose, asking if she wanted some.

She opened her mouth to say yes when Dimitri settled the bottle down in Christian's hand.

"Under eighteen," he warned.

"Never stopped her before," Christian said.

Dimitri glowered at him for a while before Christian relented setting the bottle down on the counter.

"Do you have anything non-alcoholic that isn't any fun to drink and wont make me briefly happy?" Rose asked pretending cheerfulness.

"There're non-alcoholic drinks in existence?" Christian asked sounding seriously surprised.

He looked from Rose to Dimitri to Jill and did a double take.

"You're a 'V'," he noted like it wasn't the most obviously thing in the world. Jill nodded, her curls bobbing.

"Do you know what word starts with a 'V'? Like Va-"

"Vacuum," Rose interrupted slapping Christian's arm. "He was going to say Vacuum, right Christian?"

"Sure," Christian said downing his glass of wine. He glances at Jill's costume questioningly one more time and then, pouring another glass of wine, looks form Rose to Dimitri.

"So, have you two slept together yet?"

Dimitri stiffened and Rose had to fight the laughter building inside her. Before she had wanted to keep her experience with Dimitri to herself but with Christian's loose open humor and lack of sensitivity she couldn't resist.

"Yeah but he's denying the whole thing," Rose says in a monotone.

Christian drinks the second glass of wine and thinks about pouring another before deciding just to drink from the bottle.

"So how was it?" he asks sounding genuinely interested real emotion in his voice. "I mean… it must've been interesting considering how tall and big you are. You're like what, six foot seven?" he asks looking at a stunned and reddening Dimitri. It was hard to tell he was blushing with his dark tanned skinned. "You're barely over five foot five. Was it-"

"Okay just stop," Dimitri ordered.

He muttered something about hating when we came here and scooted Jill further away from us down the counter. She buried her face in his shoulder and turned away from Christian. She never really liked him.

When Dimitri looked away talking quietly to Jill, Christian mouthed, "Any good?"

Rose gave two thumbs up and nodded. He high fived her, indicated that it would be kept between the two of them, and cleared his throat.

"So where's the other one, the other guard?" Christian asked leaning up off of the counter and tossing the glass into the sink.

"M.I.A.," Rose said dismissively.

"Ah. So Andre sent you here for what?"

"Didn't say. I was hoping you knew."

"Must be about the shipment," Christian mutters going into the bedroom. Rose waits listening as he tosses furniture and clothes out of the bedroom door searching.

"What does a bar owner need to ship?" Rose asks dodging a flying pair of scissors and a bikini bottom. "Hooch?"

"International hooch. Only the good stuff. A few special recipes and…" he said trailing off. He came out of the bedroom holding a small box lifting the lid to check inside of it before tossing it to Rose. "Tell him it's only the sample and I'll bring the rest of tonight."

Rose nodded. She'd never questioned whatever business her brother was doing before. Her father ran a clean nightclub as far as she knew. Why wouldn't Andre?

"You guys only deal in alcohol and stuff like that right? I mean nothing like drugs or anything?" Rose asked trying to be subtle about the question.

It was hard to read Christian's often blank face. He and Dimitri could battle it out in a competition of serious expressions.

Dimitri would win, Rose thought.

"Yup."

With that one word answer Rose was satisfied. She thought of pressing the question but she didn't want him or Andre to think she didn't trust them. He was a family friend and Andre was her brother. She had to trust them.

"Now that we've gotten your brother's business taken care of let's talk about you. Do you two need a room? I offer discount to friends," he says kicking aside an empty bottle.

"Let's go Rose," Dimitri says lifting Jill off of the counter and moving to the door.

Christian made the 'call me' sign and Rose nodded following behind Dimitri and saying goodbye and that she'd see him later tonight.

"I don't like him," Jill said once they were downstairs. They walked down the sidewalk between the high-rise apartment buildings and business, the crowds of people rushing past them.

"That makes two of us," Dimitri mutters.

Rose is barely listening turning the box that Christian tossed her over in her hands curious.

Dimitri glances at her when she doesn't respond.

"Was that about what Jesse said?"

Rose couldn't lie to Dimitri. She'd tried so many times and he could see right through her.

"Yeah. I was just…curious I guess," she mumbles giving up on trying to open the now sealed box.

Dimitri says nothing for a while as they walk down the street.

After a few blocks he says, "Even if Jesse was telling the truth…I'm sure Andre has good reasons."

Rose glances at him briefly taken off guard by the comment. Did Dimitri have his own doubts about Andre?

Rose brushed it aside and pointed out the ice cream shop across the street.

"Might as well have some ice cream before we go see the oaf," she said pretending like she didn't have a care in the world while all sorts of question and worries were running through her head.


	5. Briefly Distracted

Dimitri waited with Jill downstairs while Rose went to deliver the box to Andre in his office. He felt a little uneasy about being here.

He'd been here before, of course, but something about the black walls and dim lights gave him the uneasy feeling he often had as a bodyguard.

Probably just paranoid, he had tried to reassure himself but each time he'd tried to set his mind at ease, he'd be struck by a flash of what he thought were memories and then he'd start to worry all over again.

Images of himself receiving a drink, taking a sip, Elena, and a shadowy figure talking to him flashed in his mind. None o fit really made since. He had that strange off feeling he had before when he was with Rose. He couldn't quite piece it all together, especially the part about Elena. He did know one thing though.

It has something to do with Andre.

This he knew for certain but he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

Rose was questioning rumors about her brother and Dimitri had a few questions of his own but until some genuine proof came to light, he would regard his suspicions as just that, suspicions.

He glanced down where Jill's small hand was in his. If he hadn't been the to grab her hand as they walked in here, fearful of losing her in the dark building, he probably wouldn't have even know she was there since she was so quiet.

There was no need to do anything that would ruin this already broken family.

The more vivid and clear images were of Rose

_Of course,_ he thought to himself.

The only person in his current life he seemed to have a problem with right now.

If she knew the truth of what'd done I'm sure all efforts of seducing me would fade. She'd probably wish she'd never met me.

I shifted on his feet trying to clear his head. Rose was just a teenage girl. She couldn't possibly unravel him so much that he'd tell her. At least that's 'what he tried to convince himself.

Maybe I could use my past to my advantage. She'll stay away from me if I tell her.

And Dimitri needed her to stay away. He had morals and a part of his morals were to avoid getting involved with teenage girls especially a girl he'd been hired to protect. Sure he had slept with her already but as long as none of those odd fluttery emotions appeared while he was around Rose like they so often did he'd be fine.

Dimitri stood in this war with himself as Rose finally appeared.

"He's not there. Must be downstairs in the club," she guessed walking down the path toward the club.

She'd been flipping the small box in her hand over again and again.

Hoping it might open, Dimitri guessed.

He didn't say anything more about. He could tell Rose was becoming more and more curious about what he brother really did as a club owner and she was scared of what she'd find out if she kept asking questions.

Her curiosity will get the better of her, Dimitri figured watching as she walked looking down at the box in her hand. She hadn't really taken her eyes off of it even when they were in the ice cream parlor.

It was actually a silent walk, something that almost never happened when Rose was around. She hated awkward silences but this time it seemed the silence was on her part. She was preoccupied. Dimitri thought about saying something to fill the quiet, something he so rarely did himself but he decided he would keep quiet, especially after the conversation between Rose and Christian.

They walked through the secret door way behind the long velvet curtains that led into the main club and spotted Andre leaning across the bar talking to the barkeep. There were a few people already in the club, talking and moving to the instrumental music that was vibrating the clubs walls.

Rose wondered how she hadn't heard the music from upstairs and remembered the walls were all sound proof.

She was making her way over to where Andre was when a guy spoke up.

"Hey sexy legs."

Rose turned and her brother's friend, Carter, was leaning back on the couch with each of his arm around two different blondes. Rose vaguely remembered one of their names being Lisa or something and the other one was something with an A.

Carter was about as tall as Dimitri with long curly hair and blue eyes. He was also one of the wealthiest men in the city, the biggest ladies' man, and one of her brother's few close friends that she couldn't stand.

He gave off weird vibes whenever he was around. Rose couldn't place her finger on what it was though.

She eyed him and stepped around the table separating herself from him.

"Long time no see. Why don't you join us so we can catch up," he offered.

"You've got your hands full."

"There's always room for you," he said suggestively shifting his legs.

"No thanks," she said walking past.

"If I'm not enough to persuade you there's always money," he says in a singsong voice.

"Honey, you can't afford me," she said teasing.

She couldn't resist. It was just in her nature. She thought she changed after sleeping with Dimitri but it seemed the old Rose Mazur would always be around.

"Do you have to flirt with everything on two legs?" Andre shouted above the music turning away form the bartender.

"It's more like everything that breathes. I'm an open minded guy always open to try new things," Carter shouted back.

"Well the open part is right," Rose muttered.

She settled herself onto the bar.

"One Vodka on the rocks, Bartender," she winked.

He stared at her as she leaned a bit more over the counter. Talking with Christian and flirting with Carter had lifted her spirits again and whatever feelings she had about her encounter with Dimitri she was trying to forget about for a moment.

He looked as if he was struggling on whether or not to give to her when Dimitri appeared with Jill and made the decision for him motioning for him to move away. He settled Jill on a stool beside Rose and leaned on the next one.

"What is it with you and ruining my fun?"

"Would it be fun if your brother was suddenly hauled away for allowing his teenage sister to drink in his club?"

"Kinda."

Dimitri looked away eyeing Carter's group.

"Give it here," Andre ordered gesturing to the box.

She was about to slide the box over to Andre's open hand when she stopped an idea coming into her head.

"Lemme have a drink and we'll talk," she tried to bargain.

"Rose I don't have time for this," Andre sighed heavily scrolling through his phone.

"All right all right. I have a question first and you have to be completely honest when you answer."

"If I do this will you give me the box and then go away?"

"Maybe."

Andre rolled his eyes and sighed again. "Fine, what is it?"

She paused unsure if she'd really get the answer she was hoping for.

"Are you running dad's clubs on the up and up? Is…everything legit? Legal I mean?" she whispered although she had nothing to worry about with the music being so loud.

"No I'm running a chop shop, a murder for hire business, and a prostitution ring," he said dryly.

"Really?"

"No, stupid, now give it here."

He lifted the lid peeking inside before shoving the box into his pocket.

"Where's this coming from?" he asked looking at his phone again. He glanced up at Rose and then behind her to Dimitri.

Rose thought about just telling him of the rumors but then she convinced herself it was silly and that he probably wouldn't even believe her.

"Nowhere. Just asking. Let's go," she said turning to Jill and Dimitri.

She lifted a nodding off Jill into her arms and started walking out of the club not completely satisfied by Andre's answer. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts and worried she didn't even acknowledge Carter as they walked out of the club.


	6. Eavesdropping and Discovering

Rose sat at the top of the stairs and waited. She was trying to convince herself it wasn't eavesdropping exactly. She just needed a bit more reassurance that everything was on the up and up. Besides if Andre hadn't been so sarcastic she wouldn't still be worrying.

Rose shook her head trying to dislodge all of her thoughts and wonder when she started caring if she was eavesdropping or not.

Christian, fully dressed in a nice dark suit and a silk button down that was hardly buttoned at all, sat lazily on the leather couch in their den with a drink in hand. Rose wondered if there had ever been a time his hand _wasn't_ holding a glass.

Rose couldn't see her brother who had walked out of view with the box Rose delivered earlier to the club until he walked into the middle of the den eyeing the contents of the now open box.

"So how much?"

Christian took a sip from his glass.

"Half."

Andre looked up surprised.

"You're joking."

"Nope," Christian said unfazed.

"It wasn't nearly that much before."

"Price has gone up. The others were easy and they gave us somewhat of a discount deal being our first orders but since these might actually be noticed and this is our like tenth order the rates or going up," Christian explained.

He finished the copper liquid in the glass and slammed it down on the table as a sign of asking for more.

"Un-freaking believable," Andre muttered. "And this is all they've found?" He asked gesturing to the large granny looking bag Christian had brought in.

"Yup."

"Well we can still use what's inside. We'll just have to make sure it isn't defective. Here's what we'll do-" he started to say but Jill came down the hall then leaning over Rose's shoulder.

"What're you-"

"AH!" Rose screamed surprised.

Christian and Andre shared a look and then turned to the two girls on the stairs.

"You scared the hell out of me!"

Jill just stared and Rose thought for a moment that she'd hurt he sister's feelings but then she remembered those were just Jill's naturally wide doll eyes. The two stood up and walked down the stairs gingerly Rose holding Jill's hand. It was more out of fear that she'd been caught spying rather than sisterly endearment.

She stood at the foot of the couch opposite of Andre. Jill plopped herself on the arm of the couch as far from Christian as possible.

"What are you two doing?" Andre asked tucking the box into his coat pocket.

"Just….playing a g-game," Rose lied.

She'd never been so evasive about the truth before. Being direct and straightforward had come easily to Rose but this was something different. Christian smiled, clearly and always amused.

Rose noticed the bag Christian had brought in was peaking out from behind the couch where Andre had kicked it.

"Whatever. Let's take this to my office where we can finish this Christian," Andre suggested moving toward the hall.

"I'm gonna need a little persuasion, the good stuff preferably, to move from my comfy spot," Christian grinned.

"And bring Christian some of the good stuff from the basement," Andre ordered heading toward his office.

Christian shifted in that lazy manner of his to stand.

"Playing a game?" he asked as if he didn't believe her earlier question. "You used to be so good at lying."

"I also used to play strip poker," she muttered trying to keep a careful eye on the bag still sitting beside the couch. It seemed Andre had forgotten about it and Christian had yet to acknowledge it.

"Good times," Christian sighed standing to follow Christian down the hall.

He'd forgotten the bag too. Rose leaned watching to make sure he made it to the office before moving toward the bag.

"Jellybean keep an eye out if anyone comes," she whispered.

Jill nodded. The best part about being sisters was loyalty especially being an older sister.

Rose maneuvered around the couch and reached for the bag. It looked even more like a granny bag up close but a Prada granny bag. She shifted trying to tug at the overtly large zipper. It was caught on the fabric of the purse. She yanked hard enough that the bag opened but a cloud of smoke shot out of the bag.

Rose fell backward coughing and hacking at the dust in her nose. Jill had even caught a little and was rubbing at her nose irritably. She stopped long enough to notice a shadow moving down the hall.

"Someone's coming," she whispered before sneezing.

Rose stood and hurried to zip the bag up cursing under her breath that she didn't get to peek inside. Just as she'd closed it Andre came back into the room and looked between the suspicious Jill and Rose.

"What the hell are two doing? You're being weirder than usual. Is this some time of the month girl crap or something," he muttered grabbing the bag and turning to go back into the office. "And get Christian's drink," he called over his shoulder.

Rose was too stunned and still recovering from the irritating itchy feeling in her nose to bother pointing out that Jill was too young to have any girl thing he was referencing too.

"Come on Jellybean," she ushered going to the basement. "You okay?"

Jill nodded shaking her head to make the itchy feeling go away.

"I wonder what that was," she thought aloud walking down to the basement.

Rose shuddered either from the weird smoke dust that they inhaled or out of plain fear of the basement she wasn't sure. The basement had always been the one room in the house that scared her the most. It was dark and dingy and held this weird cold eerie feeling but after the murder the entire house seemed to hold that feeling. It felt unwelcoming.

The two sisters stood at the door that was slightly ajar hesitantly. Jill gripped Rose's hand tightly.

The door to the basement was open.

It was usually locked because of a party incident when Rose and her friends had decided to drink their weight in alcohol. The door slightly opened with a creak. She suddenly wished Dimitri were here instead of searching the perimeter or Elena but who knew where the latter was. She knew if something happened though he'd be here in a flash. She used to watch him run and with those long tone and muscled legs the man was fast. Not to mention he rarely took personal time off.

She pushed the door the rest of the way, Jill clinging onto her hand with both of hers.

The room was as cold as she remembered and probably even more creepier.

The only light pouring in came from cracks in the covered windows and the few rays conveniently shone on a pile of clothes on the floor.

Rose stepped forward spotting the crates of alcohol in the corner.

The pile of clothes had a tangle of blonde hair at one end, feet at the other, and…

"Blood," she gasped.

She reached behind her searching for Jill but when she turned Jill was on the other side of the mangled body on the floor staring down. Her eyes were two black orbs downcast at the blood she'd stepped in stuck to her Mary Jane shoes.

Rose ran over to her and pulled her close into her chest. She was here now and could protect Jill now, something she couldn't do before when their parents had been-

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jill's sudden screams echoing through the room and into the house.

Rose pulled her tighter to her chest. Jill was so short her screams were muffled into the stomach of Rose's shirt.

Rose was about to open her mouth to figure out what had set Jill off when she saw the body's face.

"Elena."


	7. One Of Those Long Days

Dimitri had time to think now.

He was suppose to be completely alert and keeping watch on anything happening outside the house but his mind seemed full of random thoughts and unanswered questions.

The only clear thoughts seemed to involve Rose and Jill and what would happen if something proved faulty about Andre.

It was sort of like the annoying feeling when you had the beginning of a thought or memory in your head and at the last moment it completely disappeared. Dimitri was starting to get a headache thinking about it.

For a while he just focused on Jill and Rose.

He admitted it to himself. He had become emotionally attached and involved despite his ideals about keeping emotion and work separate. It probably had something to do with the fact that he didn't have a family and this family was on the verge of being torn apart by the loss of parents that he felt he could relate to them.

They had even included him in their family functions when he was on and off the clock despite his resolve to keep his distance. Elena was a bit less susceptible to the family and emotion stuff.

She was one of the more strict bodyguards and Dimitri had considered himself just the same. He thought after all these years he would be more than capable of being cold, calculating and distant but everyone had their breaking point.

Jill reminded him so much of his sisters. She was quiet and reserved but she had apparently become as attached to Dimitri enough she spoke to him the only other person she talked to besides Rose. He smiled remembering.

"_She doesn't really talk much," Rose said the same day he and Elena had first arrived. _

_Dimitri nodded taking in the little girl who stood stiff as a statue behind Rose. She looked delicate and fragile. Dimitri couldn't blame her. Witnessing someone you loved die in front of you was too much but seeing both parents had to be heart wrenching. _

_The little girl had nothing but fear in her eyes and, although it seemed impossible, they seemed to widen whenever Dimitri came around. _

_As the weeks passed Dimitri took Jill's widened eyes as a sign of acknowledgement. She didn't even react when Elena was around. Not much anyway._

It wasn't until the four weeks he had been there did she finally look at him without her eyes widening. She didn't speak but it was a significant moment enough that Dimitri remembered.

_He was sitting on the back porch while Rose was tanning by the pool with her friend Mia. Elena was shifting on her feet a few feet away eyeing the backyard and Jill climbed up on the cushioned couch beside him. Dimitri looked up from the western he was reading to watch her as she pulled herself onto the seat and settled herself beside him with her own book. She turned it over in her hands uncertainly and then flipped open the cover. _

_Dimitri laughed softly to himself and closed his own book. He turned Jill's book over so that it wasn't upside down. _

"_Want me to read it to you?"_

_Jill simply handed the book to him and barely nodded staring out across the backyard._

That was his first encounter with the small girl that made him miss his own family so much.

The second time wasabout a week after that and this time she'd actually spoken to him.

The three of them were sitting in Jill's pink doll filled bedroom. Rose was tucking her sister in under her frilly bedspread finishing up Goodnight, Moon. Dimitri was shutting the windows and tugging to make sure that they were secure. On more than one occasion the windows were found wide open in the mornings. He doubted it was Jill since she was too short to reach and Elena was saying something about Dimitri not being thorough so that night he was making double sure.

_He checked the last window ready to leave so that the younger girl could sleep. _

"_Tomorrow we'll do something fun, I promise. Just the two of us plus maybe Andre."_

_Dimitri watched as the girl's eyes widened just as they had before. _

"_What about Dimitri?" It was the first time she had said his name and he felt all warm and fuzzy inside smiling to himself. _

"_Tomorrow's his days off and Elena's," Rose told her. Her own voice sounded gentle and barely audible, disappointed. _

"_You're leaving? You're not leaving are you Dimitri?" Jill asked. She sat up in the bed to get a good look at him. Rose stared between the two surprised._

"_I'm not going anywhere. I'll be there tomorrow," I promised. _

The little girl's eyes twinkled but her expression looked uncertain like she couldn't be sure.

_She nodded and fell back against her pillows. Rose pecked her forehead, tucked her in again and the two left._

"_She _actually_ spoke to you," she gasped holding a hand to her mouth. "I can't believe it. You must be even more special than I thought," she smiled, tapping his arm once and turning on her heel swaying down the hallway._

"_Goodnight Dimitri," she had called. _

The next day they had gone to the pier without Andre but Dimitri and Rose kept on their promises and Jill had actually smiled.

This was what was going through Dimitri's head when he heard the screams. Immediately he broke into a run. He practically shoved the French patio doors open and he was sure he'd heard the shatter of glass against glass but that didn't matter.

_Of all days for Elena not to be here,_ he thought to himself.

He searched the rooms listening to find where the screams had come from and followed the sound of footsteps as Andre came running.

They both hurried down to the basement where the scream had apparently come from.

"What is it? What happened?" Andre asked frantically looking everywhere around except at the two girls standing across from…a body?

Dimitri shifted passed Andre and bent to look at the body.

"It's Elena," Rose murmured.

Dimitri met her eyes, those deep eyes he had stared into so intensely the night before he was suddenly remembering.

"Call the police. Ask for Adrian. He's a friend," Dimitri told Andre who was eyeing everything around the room and then rested his eyes on Dimitri for a moment, glancing at him, and then nodding before compliantly leaving the room.

"What's going on?" Christian asked sounding stirred from a sleep.

"Dead body," Dimitri heard Andre mutter.

Christian glanced at the heap on the floor and followed Andre out.

"And then there were three," Rose murmured. "Well four if you count…"

Her words trailed off.

"Come on. We should wait upstairs."

Rose complied and led the shielded Jill out of the basement. They had settled in the kitchen. Andre and Christian remained in the office. Dimitri pulled a tea bag out of the cabinet and Rose made a face.

"Hard times call for desperate measures. Beer my friend," she said gesturing to the ros in the fridge that only had beer.

"Soda."

Dimitri slid the can to Rose and pours Jill a small cup. She didn't even move. She stared down at the granite counter and swayed.

"It's gonna be okay," Rose muttered after sipping her soda. She lifted her arm around Jill's shoulders and the small girl fell against her but she was still so still and quiet.

When the sirens sounded the two of the girls jumped.

"We have to get out of here," she said to Dimitri. She shot him a meaningful look that summarized that they had been through this before and didn't want to again. She glanced at Jill and back up at Dimitri.

"As soon as the police finish questioning us. We'll go. We'll get away for a while."

Rose smiled, grateful for the chance that Dimitri was offering them to escape.

She looked down as sad and wearing as Jill was suddenly. He wanted to reach out and hold her and reassure her the same why she did her sister. All of the nights memories flashed through his mind. It was still happening, the sudden memory flashes and the ones of last night were even more intense.

He ran his hand through her hair locking his fingers in and gently tugging her head back to run his lips against the smoothness of her neck.

Dimitri shuddered remembering and tried to ignore the warmth moving through his body. He brought himself back into reality and focused on everything around the room trying to figure out how this could happen to Elena.

He didn't get a long look at the body but her arms and legs were distorted and there was blood. If he didn't know any better he would say that she was hit by a car.

The police came soon after.

"I hate the police," Rose muttered standing to follow Dimitri to meet them in the basement.

"You should grow to love them. I'm sure sometime in the future they'll arrest you either for prostitution or having sex in a public place," Christian chimed in coming up behind them.

"Probably right but still…" She let the sentence trail off. She waited with Jill upstairs while people came and went to look at the body and others would stop to ask questions.

Rose would hear a few of the old men with hanging stomachs asks and remember this as the house of the murder of the Mazur parents.

They asked the basic stupid questions.

"you are the two that presumably discovered the body?"

"You presume correctly," Rose responded dryly.

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"Yesterday at dinner."

"And when did your sister last see her?"

"We live in the same house and eat at the same dinner table so last night at dinner."

The officers asked a few more questions and grew annoyed enough to finally walk away.

They eyed the two girls huddled in the corner and the older brother standing off to the side with Christian.

Dimitri was talking with a tall slender man with dark hair and green eyes. Adrian Rose presumed.

"I'm going to get them out of here," Rose could hear Dimitri tell Adrian.

The older man nodded, glancing at the girls.

He really had that detective look, like he drank heavily after work with the heavy bags under his eyes and the scruff on his face. When they walked past he smelled of cigarettes.

Andre looked busy enough with the police suddenly in his house that he didn't seem to notice when they left.

"Where are we going?" she asked once they were in the car and on the road. Rose glanced back at Jill in the backseat. Her eyes were rimmed red and her lips were dry. She looked worn and like she was about to pass out.

Dimitri glanced in the rearview to see what Rose was looking at.

"She needs to sleep. It's been a long day."

Dimitri nodded.

"I have a place. The hotel I stay in when I'm off the clock," he suggested. He didn't sound so sure that he wanted to go to a hotel with Rose but with Jill what could happen.

Rose glanced at him curiously.

"You don't have an apartment?"

"I'm always moving for my job. I don't need one."

"So you wanna take me to a hotel?" she asked all seriousness gone.

Dimitri shook his head exasperated and turned up the radio.

This was a long day.


	8. Once A Party Girl, Always A Party Girl

The drive was quieter than Dimitri had anticipated.

He had expected all sorts of innuendos and twisted jokes from Rose.

_I had to decide to stay in a hotel of all places, _he thought chastising himself.

The memories of his night with Rose before had been playing in his all almost all day but now he was able to block it out. He kept thinking about Elena and how anyone could get the upper hand on her. More importantly he was wondering what if it had been on e of the girls.

I focused on the road trying to distance himself from such thoughts. It was hard though, especially with the vague feeling that the weirdness of the last day in a half and Elena's murder had something to do with one another. Dimitri was almost certain his hazy memory of his night with Rose and whatever conversation he had with Andre was apart of Elena's murder too.

He just didn't know how.

He glanced away from the road briefly and looked over at Rose. He'd been glancing over at her the entire way into the city. Dimitri thought she was staring out the window but he realized she was watching Jill in the side-view mirror.

Dimitri looked in the rearview mirror to look at Jill himself. She was dozing asleep her face against the window.

Rose leaned between the two seats and reached to adjust Jill's head. She settled back into her own seat with a tired sigh and looked over at Dimitri.

"What?" Dimitri asked switching his gaze form her to the road.

"I don't suppose you're the spontaneous type and we could just skip on the hotel and head for Canada," she proposed.

Dimitri looked at her confused. Her face looked flushed.

"I don't want to go through this again," she explain her expression serious. "I don't want Jill to…" her words trailed off.

"I'll keep you both safe, Rose."

Rose stared over at him as if trying to decipher whether her was telling the truth or not.

She nodded, "Okay."

After a few minutes she turned to Dimitri again smiling.

"So be honest with me Dimitri. You're taking us to this hotel to finish last night aren't you."

Dimitri sighed exasperated.

* * *

Rose never really liked hotels.

She didn't need to look forward to the large pools or Jacuzzis because there was one at home; she hated the thought of sleeping in a room that smelt of mint and ointment cream.

The only bonus of going to a hotel was room service and the parties that she usually attended when going to a hotel.

"So what hotel do you stay at?" she asked curious.

She was trying to distract her self from the weird queasy and tickling feeling she felt running through her body.

She imagined Dimitri as a simple man who stayed in one of those cabin motels in the woods or someplace cheap but nice and simple.

"The Olive Grand."

"That's right around the corner from Christian's hotel. Why don't we just stay there?"

She looked over at Dimitri when he didn't answer. He looked uneasy in his seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Look Rose, you might not want to here this but your-"

Rose held up a hand to stop him.

She had a feeling where this was going.

"My brother and Christian are clean and if you even think about accusing them of being involved in whatever the hell is going on at home pull over now so that I can get out."

Dimitri met her gaze and surprised Rose by being able to keep straight on the road at the same time. There was a long pause, as he seemed to be deciding whether or not to say it.

After several long moments he looked away from her and back towards the road.

"My job is to protect my charges and I said just a few moments ago that I _would_ protect you two. That means following my instincts and my instincts are telling me that staying at Christian's hotel is a bad idea."

"You don't have to trust him but I do. I'd feel better if we stayed there."  
After several long moments Dimitri nodded.

"Alright. But if we stay here you have to do everything I tell you. Okay?"

Rose was about to make a snide comment. She hated being told what to do but considering this meant protecting Jill she sighed and hit her head back against the seat.

"Fine."

"Not good enough. Promise me Rose," he ordered, more seriousness in his voice than she'd ever heard before.

"I promise." Her lips pulled into her man-eating smile, perfected over the years; she gave him a sultry look and said barely above a whisper, "Besides, you telling me what to do can be a bit of a turn on."  
She saw Dimitri's lips purse and he muttered something under his breath.

Rose grinned, victorious that she had at least a bit of an affect on him, and relaxed in her chair for the rest of the ride out of the suburbs and into the city.

"You should call Christian. Tell him we're coming so that he can give us a corner room on the first floor if possible."

Rose briefly relished in Dimitri's commanding voice and searched for her cell phone.

"Bad news, lover. I left my cell phone at home."  
Dimitri cut his eye at her and pulled out his own phone.

"How was is supposed to know I'd need it in case we had to make a getaway because of the dead body in our house?" Rose muttered dialing Christian's number.

He picked up on the third ring.

"God's greatest gift to women speaking," he greeted.

Rose pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it surprised.

"Hey party boy it's me."

"Rose, dear. Where are you?"

"Actually we're headed to your hotel. I was hoping we could stay there for tonight until Jill kind of calms down," she whispered looking back at her sister.

There was a brief pause as he spoke to someone in the background and then came on the line.

"Sure as long as you do me a favor."

Christian was notorious for asking people for the most outlandish favors or at least those were the rumors. The weirdest he'd ever asked of Rose involved her mom's frozen bra from the freezer when she was a kid and they were teenagers.

"Depends," she said trying hide her curiosity.

There was another brief pause form the other line and she wondered if he heard her or if he hung up until she heard the murmur of another voice in the background and Christian came back on the line.

"I'll let you know what it is later."

"O…kay," she said uncertainly. "Um…we need a corner room on the first floor apparently," she told him mumbling the last word.

A third brief pause, voice in the background and then Christian's voice again.

"My first floor is usually booked. The best I can do is the second to top floor, beneath mine. I'll call the front desk to leave you a room key."

"Coolness. Much appreciated Chris."

"Yes, yes, my niceness is a rarity so if you tell anyone I'll deny it," he said in his lazy but slightly amused tone before hanging up.

"He said the best he can do is the next to top floor," she said to Dimitri in a daze. She was wondering who Christian had been talking to in the background and chided herself for not asking.

Dimitri's face turned confused but he didn't say anything.

An hour later, after what seemed like the worst traffic Rose had ever sat in, the three made it to the hotel. Rose tried to stifle the laughter that was building up. Dimitri looked as out of place in this hotel as he had when they w ere here earlier.

She couldn't imagine a luxurious place like this meeting Dimitri's low standards but she shrugged it off and smile to herself trying to imagine what a night with Dimitri and a hotel room would be like.

There weren't that many people around in the lobby when the three arrived except for a few of the typical business men talking on their cell phones, a couple of wealthy out of towners, and two men in over priced suits that stood out in the corner.

Rose couldn't help but stare. Both of them had shaved heads, an earring in one ear, and one of them, the biggest one, was missing a finger.

_Two men at a hotel and ones missing a finger. That should be an interesting night, _Rose thought shaking her head and following Dimitri to the elevators. They weren't the weirdest people Rose had seen coming in and out of this hotel.

Rose brushed Jill's curls out of her face. She stifled a giggle. Jill's cheek was smashed against Dimitri's shoulder as she slept. Dimitri pushed the button for the floor beneath the pent house.

Rose leaned against the elevator wall feeling is weird as she had in the car.

Dimitri, taking notice, asked, "You alright?"  
Unable to come up with any smart remark she just nodded.

He watched her for a moment longer until the elevator stopped.

The elevator doors opened and Dimitri walked to the last door down the hall. After unlocking it her pushed it open and Rose gasped.

The room was amazing, even for a topnotch hotel like this. It was just like Christian's apartment upstairs but she could appreciate it more since it was clean. The furniture looked as stiff and uncomfortable as it had in Christian's apartment but at least there was the nice view of the city to look at and Rose figured the comfort of the furniture didn't matter as long as there was Dimitri to lay on.

Dimitri went to lay Jill down in one of the two bedrooms and Rose moved to the kitchenette.

She searched the cabinets and found a few boxes of coffee and tea and in the mini fridge bottles of wine on shelf, peanuts in the door and a few bottles of liquor Rose had heard of but had yet to try.

She reached for a slender clear bottle and read the label. It was mostly in what she deciphered as Spanish and she shrugged, popping open the lid and hoped its affects would kick in quickly and take care of the queasy feeling she felt in the car.

Rose had promised to be on her best behavior, alcohol wise, when she first met Dimitri and because of Jill. She figured she should be a role model for her sister now that her mother was gone.

But while guzzling her first taste of the drink, she listed all of the excuses in her head.

_To was a long day, Jesse pissed me off, Andre and Christian might be using dad's clubs to deal drugs, I saw a dead body (again), I feel unsafe even with a six foot five Russian as a bodyguard, Jill had to relive her worst nightmare all over again, and every girls worst nightmare I slept with someone who rejected me the morning after._

With every addition to her mental list, Rose kept drinking and she didn't stop until Dimitri walked into the kitchenette. He stared down at Rose on the floor, her back against the fridge she'd pulled this bottle out of, shaking his head as if he shouldn't be surprised this was happening.

_Once a party girl, always a party girl, _his expression read.

But it wasn't about that.

This one day seemed so packed with emotion Rose just wanted to feel numb for the first time in a long time.

"Of all times you choose now to drink," Dimitri asked, his accent intertwined through his words.

In one quick motion he bent and grabbed the bottle from Rose and read the label before shaking it.

It was already empty.

"Your sister needs you-" he started.

Rose immediately stood grabbing another bottle she had pulled out but stumbled a little. Whatever it was she drank already took its toll on her. Her head rushed and she felt light as air form standing so quickly.

Dimitri steadied her.

"But not like this. Not if you aren't sober," he finished.

"S-she's m' sssister," she mumbled trying to walk to the bedroom Dimitri had laid Jill in. Dimitri held her by the waist tugging her to the couch.

He easily lifted her up and gently plopped her down onto the couch.

Rose only briefly relished in the thought that he was holding her but once he put her down it was like everything came crashing down on her.

"You're right. She doesn't need me." Rose's voice broke as if she was going to start crying but Rose laughed at that. She hadn't cried in years and alcohol wasn't strong enough to make her do it. "I can't even be sober," she huffed lying on the couch.

The other bottle she'd been holding slid from her fingers onto the floor.

Suddenly her previous list of excused seemed decimal.

"Jill does need you and you need her but it's probably best if you're sober," Dimitri said gently. Rose's head was suddenly spinning but she could tell he was sitting beside her on the coffee table.

Rose tried to the push the mess that was her hair back from her face to rub her throbbing head. She didn't know how long they sat like that but it was a while before she spoke again, a hundred thoughts running through her mind but only one taking precedence.

"I thought you were here to protect us."

It came out as an accusation as if Dimitri wasn't doing his job. She'd been thinking about her parents before she said it and she thought about Elena and the few times she showed any emotion at all and she was thinking about Jill.

Her vision had cleared enough that she could see a surprised and confused look on Dimitri's face.

"I am," he answered gently.

"Well you're doing a craptastic job at it. What if it had been Jill?" She whispered.

Dimitri was leaning forward his arms rested on his knees. He stared down at his clasped hands realizing what Rose was talking about.

"There's no excuse. I should've been more concerned about Elena's absence but-"

"I don't blame you Dimitri. I know you couldn't have known but…it's just…I thought you could do anything." Her words were slurred but coherent enough so that he understood. "With you around I thought nothing bad would ever happen to us again."

Dimitri looked up at her masking his surprise.

It wasn't often Rose was so open and exposed about how she felt despite the crush she had on him.

"Why do these things keep happening to us?" Rose asked gently before he could respond to he previous statement. Dimitri was at a loss for words.

"Bad things happen to good people," Dimitri sighed, thinking of his own family. "The only thing we can do about it is to learn from whatever happened and be ready to protect ourselves."

It seemed to Rose like he was speaking more to himself and on a different topic entirely but that might have just been the liquor's affect on her.

"Maybe bad things just happen to bad people. Maybe it's like karma," she muttered staring up at the ceiling through the hair that covered her face.

"I don't believe that," Dimitri said gently. He sounded spaced like he was in his own world.  
"Why not? Not everybody can be good."

"Not everyone can be bad either," he countered.

"No but maybe it's like good people do one bad thing and that means they have to be punished for it."

"You can't think like that, Rose."

She waited for him to say more but a few moments passed and she realized nothing more had to be said. It was one of those difficult, annoying parts of life. People died and maybe there was no reason to it.

She laughed softly to herself realizing how cynical she'd become.

She looked over at Dimitri who had been watching her for the last few moments.

She wished he would reach out and hold her, make her feel warm and fuzzy and whole like he had last night. She knew that wasn't going to happen when she was sober but _maybe…_

_Maybe I can press my luck. Anything embarrassing that happens I can say it was because of the liquor,_ she convinced herself.

She slowly sat up from the couch. The coffee table Dimitri had been sitting on was close enough that her knee brushed against his. She waited, watching to see what he would do or say before moving again.

She kneeled in front of him, running her hands down the length of his jeans. He didn't react. From what she could tell he was as unreadable as ever but maybe there was the slightest bit of a spark in his eyes.

She inched herself closer so that her face was inches from his and gently brushed her hands on either side of his unshaven face.

A few loose strands of his hair tickled the back of her hand but she ignored them leaning in slowly still waiting for him to pull away.

When her lips touched his and that warm electric current ran down her body, she knew he wouldn't.


	9. Timing

Rose noticed Dimitri's hesitance at first but slowly he started to loosen and unwind.

She could feel him returning the kiss, pressing himself into her. She brought herself closer to his level, straddling his waist. Both of his hands were locked on her shoulders, slowly making their way down the length of her arms until they wrapped around her waist.

Rose was completely engulfed by Dimitri's strong arms now. He pulled away for a moment, ready to speak but Rose silenced whatever words were building on his lips with another fevered kiss. She was surprised by how easily she was able to seduce Dimitri and for a moment, in her hazy drunken state, worried that this were a dream but the unmistakably firm hand on her bare thigh and soft lips that were running kisses from the edge of her mouth down to her chest made it clear that this wasn't a dream.

She arched her back to press herself further into him and he sighed, detaching his lips from her skin.

"This…isn't right," he breathed resting his forehead against hers. "We can't, Rose."

"Just tonight…be with me tonight." She could hear the pleading in her voice but couldn't seem to stop with the alcohol running through her body.

"Rose," he sighed trying but not succeeding in turning away.

"Please," she breathed nuzzling against his neck. She tightened her grip around his shoulders and locked her mouth onto his.

She expected him to turn her down, to pull away but he only kissed her more. She thought that maybe this night would end better than it had before. She wished that she wasn't drunk or that she had to coax Dimitri into being with her but things rarely went her way.

She was thinking all of this and hoped that maybe this night would play out close to the way she wanted it too but fate had different plans. There was the sound of footsteps and the bedroom door opening.

"Jill!" Rose silently shrieked.

Dimitri realized it sooner than she had and quickly shifted her off of his lap and onto the couch before the word had even left her lips.

Jill walked out into the living room, silent. She didn't look much better after a few moments of sleep. In fact, Rose thought she looked a little bit worse. The three of them were silent, Dimitri attempting to straighten out his shirt and his ruffle ponytail, Jill standing typically quiet and looking ill, and Rose, cursing herself for drinking, for having bad timing, and looking at Jill worriedly and Dimitri longingly, thinking only one word.

_Damn_.


End file.
